Assessment Program
What ties together standards, curriculum and student achievement? A school district’s assessment program defined as:
“The process used by teachers and students to recognize and respond to student learning in order to enhance that learning, during the learning”
Dylan Wiliam
The 21st century educational system is a real-time learning cycle in which students are constantly practicing the 21st Century super skills - communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity. School districts must have an effective assessment plan so that the cycle of teaching and learning, for both the teacher and the student, move in a positive direction.
The Manchester School District Assessment Program currently consists of locally-developed assessments in reading, writing and mathematics (“locally-developed” means they were created by our classroom teachers from across the school district) in accordance with the Manchester Academic Standards and the aligned curriculum. They are intended to provide ongoing information for parents, teachers and students about how students are progressing toward achieving the standards, as well as how teachers can shift their instruction to meet student needs. It is our belief that constant feedback is what drives the learning process and best informs teachers on what each student needs to grow.
The Manchester School District is working very hard to improve teaching and learning in our schools. To reach this goal we have implemented a robust district-wide assessment program that will assist us in helping all children succeed. We want to become data rich so that our decisions about individual students as well as entire schools are supported by factual information that makes sense. Our vision is to “be a dynamic system focused on the realization of student aspirations.” With sound practice in common assessment supported by effective instruction and a rigorous curriculum, we believe you will see success in a short time.